From there north it was fresh scenery for us both as I’m sure Rex hadn’t been over the Stuart ‘highway’ before. The abiding memory for me was of the vast distances and unforgiving bull-dust camouflaged corrugations and pot holes.…
Around 5:30 p.m., when things were getting “just right,” O’Brien heard a noise and saw the back end of his deer heading in the other direction! He thought for a moment that the hunt was over. But then the sound of a slamming car door and a car engine starting seemed to turn the deer back around. He was heading back towards O’Brien’s stand.…
A young deer has strayed away from her herd and is innocently grazing on grass. Ten yards away, a hungry wolf pack slowly stalks toward the fawn after trailing her for days. The deer senses what's happening and darts away, but it's too late, the fawn is as good as dead. The snowy terrain works to the wolf's’ advantage, with their huge paws acting like snowshoes. The wolves advance as their strongest member leads the chase. The pups watch from the sidelines as the deer quickly tires out. The head wolf quickly latches on to the fawn’s nose and brings her to the ground. The deer thrashes as more wolves come and attack her. Not long after, the fawn gives up her fight and the wolves feast.…
The recent summer rainstorms have transformed the roadways, of Wrongberight a rural hamlet on the eastern shores of Virginia, into a never-ending slip and slide. Late Saturday afternoon, vivacious Clemmy Sue Jarvis, a petite woman of sixty three, cautiously pulled out of her driveway, and slowly turned south on to Flat Bottom Road. She maneuvered the rain soaked road with great care. Nevertheless, fifty yards from her dearest friend Estelle Louise’s long dirt driveway, her rusty Chevy pickup, that she has kept mobile for years with hairpins, bubble gum, and duct tape, skidded across a massive oil slick. As a result, the pickup spins in wide circles as…
The white-tailed deer, one of the most prized large game animals in the world. But how is it so prized? As you sit in the stand to wait on such a magnificent creature you begin to wonder why it is so prized. The white-tailed deer is nothing out of the ordinary, with its common colors such as: khaki-tan fur such as that of dress pants, the antlers that seem to stand out like tree branches, and the white beard that can stretch from the jaw down to his chest. You sit all day and hear nothing. You contemplate whether you should pack your things and leave every second, but you decide to stay. It almost seems as though the white-tailed deer is a ghost in the day. You can sometimes hear them travel through the woods but never be seen or never hear…
It was a hotter than snot sunny day in a small town in Michigan called Fremotte. This town has four lakes in it. But, let me get to the point.…
Hours passed in the tree stand and the forest had stayed silent. From far away, Will’s first sign of elk came. Bull elk use a loud call, a bugle, to ward off other bull elk and this is what Will heard. Across the canyon at least five bulls were bugling at each other, at this sound Will’s anticipation heightened because this meant the elk were moving. Goose bumps accompanied the chill he felt down his neck. Sitting up straight in his tree stand, Will notched and arrow into his…
Doing the dishes and vacuuming the house are simple everyday chores, but adult tasks are like stepping into a whole different world. I have had some experiences stepping up into the adult world, and it was not easy.…
“How are you feeling right now?” My father asked, I replied, “Excited.” This was in fact, an understatement. I had never seen or been to a natural reservation so highly known as the Grand Canyon. I have always been the type of person who enjoyed going camping or staying outside, appreciating the presence of nature. It was great news to hear. After weeks of planning, our family was on the road heading out to the Grand Canyon. After each hour, the lands we were crossing seemed to become more absent from human civilization. The expanding rocky prairie whizzed pass the car windows and reminded us of the purity of the land. Soon enough, we made it into Arizona, and then, finally, our destination.…
A hill of aspens, glowing golden, shines on the right side of the trail while the left side is a pine-covered hill. Between the two is the trail, a magical escape from reality. This is my sanctuary of Buffalo Peaks wilderness. The trying experience of hiking through the mountains with 40 pounds on your back, the straps of your pack rubbing the skin off your hips and shoulders. The tension building in your muscles as you struggle under the weight. The pain that can only be diluted by a yoga session and a trip to the hot springs. Sun salutations in a lush, meadow valley. Warrior one and reverse warrior in the heat of the sun, relaxing from the miles we traveled just the day before.…
Every year, my family on my dad’s side goes rafting down the Truckee river. It has always been a tradition to go to tahoe over the summer, and go rafting one of those days. Over the years, we have had many fond memories, like water fights with water guns, and pushing people into the water. First, we go down to the place to rent the raft, they set up our family with two, and then we go down the river until there is a bend where they take you and your raft out. At the end of the place where you can raft, there is a little grill that we would go to for lunch.…
When I was 14 my stake High Adventure group went on a 50 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail which was one of the most physically and emotionally challenging experiences I have ever had. For six days, I had to carry my pack containing about 40 pounds in supplies. It rained all six days of the trip.…
“In the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” said Jack Kerouac, author of On the Road. Many people live the way he describes, just doing everyday activities all their life. I want to do something memorable. Because of this, one of my dreams is doing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.…
I conquered Mount Le Conte at the age of nine, the 3rd highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains. It intersects with North America’s longest hiking trail - The Appalachian Trail - with over 2,200 miles of mountains, rivers, and pure wilderness. Ever since learning about the Appalachian Trail, I have wanted to hike it. So that’s what I did.…
time for me to begin my 10 minute warming up. I move my head side to side, stretch my legs, and I begin to walk briskly. I drank my water because I need to stay hydrated. When I was ready I sprinted out like a rocket. My brother began to time me. It took me 12 minutes to finish my one mile. Once I felt that my heart was pounding, my stomach started to develop painful cramps, and my My throat was as dry as a bone. I stopped and took deep breaths in and out. I took a five minute break and finished my 3 miles by walking. Once I finished my three miles I felt proud of myself and motivated for the next days to…